Deepika Padukone is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she is known for her work in commercial films as well as critically acclaimed performances, and has been recognised with multiple Filmfare Awards. In 2018, Time magazine included her in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
| Full name | Deepika Padukone |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 January 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Origin | Konkani family from Karnataka |
| Father | Prakash Padukone (former badminton world champion) |
| Mother | Ujjala Padukone |
| Sister | Anisha Padukone (golfer) |
| Spouse | Ranveer Singh (m. 2018) |
| Profession | Actress, producer, model |
| Active since | 2006 |
| Debut (Hindi) | Om Shanti Om (2007) |
| Debut (Kannada) | Aishwarya (2006) |
| Production company | Ka Productions |
Deepika Padukone was born in Copenhagen to Prakash Padukone, the celebrated badminton player and former All England Open champion, and Ujjala, a travel agent. The family moved to Bangalore when she was a year old, and she was raised in a Konkani-speaking household. She studied at Sophia High School and later at Mount Carmel College in Bangalore, before enrolling in a distance-learning programme in sociology with Indira Gandhi National Open University, which she did not complete.
As a child, she trained in badminton and competed at the national level, but left the sport in her teenage years to pursue modelling. She became a recognisable face through assignments for brands and ramp work, and her appearance in the Himesh Reshammiya music video Naam Hai Tera brought her wider visibility.
Padukone made her acting debut with the Kannada film Aishwarya (2006), directed by Indrajit Lankesh. Her Hindi debut came with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om (2007) opposite Shah Rukh Khan, in which she played a dual role. The performance won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
After a phase of mixed reception in films such as Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and Love Aaj Kal (2009), she gained renewed acclaim with the ensemble road film Cocktail (2012). The years 2013 and 2014 are widely viewed as a turning point in her career, with successful releases including Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela and Happy New Year.
Her collaborations with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali — Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018) — are considered among her most significant works, with Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She also drew praise for her role as a depression-suffering daughter in Shoojit Sircar's Piku (2015), opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan, which won her another Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
Padukone made her Hollywood debut with xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), directed by D. J. Caruso and co-starring Vin Diesel.
She founded the production company Ka Productions, which co-produced Chhapaak (2020), based on the life of acid-attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, in which she also starred. Subsequent releases include Gehraiyaan (2022), Pathaan (2023), Jawan (2023), Fighter (2024) and Kalki 2898 AD (2024).
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Aishwarya | Aishwarya |
| 2007 | Om Shanti Om | Shanti / Sandy |
| 2009 | Love Aaj Kal | Meera Pandit |
| 2012 | Cocktail | Veronica Malaney |
| 2013 | Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani | Naina Talwar |
| 2013 | Chennai Express | Meenamma |
| 2013 | Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela | Leela |
| 2015 | Piku | Piku Banerjee |
| 2015 | Bajirao Mastani | Mastani |
| 2017 | xXx: Return of Xander Cage | Serena Unger |
| 2018 | Padmaavat | Rani Padmavati |
| 2020 | Chhapaak | Malti |
| 2023 | Pathaan | Rubina Mohsin |
| 2023 | Jawan | Aishwarya Rathore |
| 2024 | Fighter | Minni Rakshit |
| 2024 | Kalki 2898 AD | Sumathi / SUM-80 |
In 2015, Padukone publicly spoke about her experience with clinical depression and founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation, a Bengaluru-based non-profit that works to raise awareness about mental health in India and reduce stigma around treatment. The foundation conducts research, public awareness programmes, and rural mental health initiatives.
Padukone married actor Ranveer Singh on 14–15 November 2018, in ceremonies held at Lake Como, Italy, conducted in both Konkani and Sindhi traditions. The couple's daughter, Dua, was born in September 2024.
Padukone is regarded as one of the most prominent Indian actresses of her generation. Her career is noted for combining wide commercial appeal with critically driven roles, and she has been a public face for mental health advocacy in India. As a producer, she has aligned her work with socially relevant subjects, and her crossover into Hollywood and global brand endorsements has positioned her as a leading Indian figure in international media.